As you receive this journal we will be
about 10 days away from the government’s
budget statement, detailing
income and expenditure targets, for 2015.
It is a simple fact that the government’s
decisions, with regard to the health allocation
for 2015, will confirm whether or not
the government is listening regarding the
crisis in the health service.

In recent weeks we have welcomed
comments from Health Minister Leo
Varadkar, stating that health must get a
supplementary budget to avoid further
cuts this year and an adequate budget
for 2015. In response, we had conflicting
statements, from other ministers including
the Taoiseach, that suggest they do
not fully understand the extent of the
crisis facing patients and staff every day.

This is no longer about whether the
health service can do more with less,
when we will have universal healthcare
or how we will reconcile competing interests.
The argument now is whether, after
six years of cuts, the health service is fit
for purpose, can respond correctly to
patient need, and is capable of dealing
safely with all those requiring care.

In recent days we’ve seen confirmation
that trolley and ward overcrowding continues
to increase, we have had reports of sick
patients sitting on the floor, as there were
no chairs, let alone trolleys or beds. Yet
we have ongoing efforts to make further
staffing cuts, in care of the elderly services,
regardless of the professional judgement of
the director of nursing in charge.

This reality must be accepted by government.
It must demonstrate in the 2015
budget that it has listened and understood
that the health service cannot do more
with less. It must accept, not just because
the INMO and patient groups are saying
it, but because it is reality, that the health
service can no longer look after people in
a quality assured way.

The budget must provide the finance to
allow the recruitment embargo to be lifted
and closed beds to be opened. It must give
local nurse managers the autonomy to
ensure that all patients/clients are cared for
in an environment that provides them with
privacy, dignity and a guarantee of safe care
provided by nurses, midwives and others
who have manageable workloads.

In recent weeks the Patients First campaign
– which is aiming to achieve an
adequate 2015 health service budget, as
a first priority – has formally launched
its campaign. At the time of going to
press, public meetings had been held in
Limerick, Galway, Navan and Dublin and
meetings were imminent in Donegal,
Cork and another in Dublin.

At these initial meetings, the campaign
has already heard from the general
public, detailing the experience of their
family and friends of the health service.
All of the contributions, to date, have
acknowledged the untiring efforts of staff
but have repeatedly questioned and criticised
the environments and the speed of
access to the health system. Many politicians
have attended these meetings and
hopefully have clearly heard the message,
not just from the staff in the health
service but, most importantly, from
those who use the service, that the current
situation is simply not good enough.

Now that we have an improving economic
situation, it is incumbent on all
politicians regardless of political affiliation,
to ensure that our health service
begins the path to recovery. We have
heard much about the levels of taxation
and the need, which is correct, to ease
the burden on low and middle income
households. However, this cannot be
done in the absence of ensuring that
our health system, which should serve
everyone, is properly funded, not over
stretched and is capable of providing safe
care in a dignified environment.

The government must now decide its
priorities and our Patients First campaign
is clearly showing them the way.